sounds of slurping and chewing
gradually faded away. They were replaced by the sound of conversing as
people separated into small groups with their neighbors.
Nineteen people showed up to the meeting in total, Richard
counted. Most wore cheap clothes, faded with wear, and a goodly portion
of them looked disheveled or exhausted.
Gradually the room quieted down and everyone turned their
attention to Jason. He stood up from his chair and cleared his throat:
“Anyone want to start us off?” he asked.
Richard glanced around. Most of the congregation looked
away. Many seemed nervous, carefully guarding their secrets.
Marlene, on the other hand, raised her hand. It shot up
into the air with barely contained excitement. She grinned and waved it around.
Jason pretended he didn’t see her.
“Kyle? Want to get us going tonight? No? How about you,
Eddie? You could tell us about that new job you got, maybe.”
Both young men looked away. From the look on Eddie’s face,
he probably didn’t have that new job anymore.
Marlene started making little sounds for attention now,
little ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ noises. She was practically jumping out of her chair.
Jason smiled slightly but kept pretending like he didn’t see her.
“Ben? You’ve been here for a few weeks now, but you haven’t
shared anything yet. Maybe you could start off with something simple.”
Ben was a tall young man, maybe in his late twenties, and
rail thin. He was wearing baggy clothes that were ripped in several spots and a
dark brown jacket with stains on the left side.
He probably hadn’t showered in days, maybe weeks, and it had
been even longer since those clothes were cleaned. Richard wasn’t sure,
but he thought he could smell Ben from across the room.
“Where you are from?” Jason continued prodding. “Maybe
you could tell us something about your family or friends? You don’t need
to tell us anything major, just something small.”
Ben was leaning forward in his chair, hands clasped between
his knees and head bowed. The entire group was silent, looking at him. He
glanced up when Jason spoke, and then looked down again.
“Is that a no?”
Ben didn’t respond. He glanced around the room at all the
people staring at him, stood up, and headed for the exit.
Everyone watched as he pushed the door open and disappeared
into the night. Jason let out a little sigh, shaking his head.
“Four weeks of not missing a night, but the kid hasn’t said
a word.”
“I can,” Angelina—the donut woman, Richard remembered—said,
raising her hand. Her pink dress looked crumpled up in the chair and her pale
legs were shiny in this light. “I can go first and say something. I’ll start us
off for the night, if you like.”
Jason smiled at her. “Sure Angelina. Thanks.”
He sat back down and she stood up. It was a laborious
process, the chair wobbling a little bit under her weight, but she
managed.
The pink dress stood out, matching her cheeks. She smiled
and brushed absently at some strands of hair on her cheek.
“Hi everyone. I’m Angelina, and I’m an alcoholic.”
“Hi Angelina,” the room echoed back.
“But I guess you all already knew that. I’ve been
coming here for six months now, and I’m still sober so it must be helping,” she
said. She paused, then shook her head. “No, I know it’s helping.
I’m glad you are all here.
“I’m thankful, because my life has gotten better since I
started this clinic. This weekend I went to my son’s soccer game. It’s his
first game and he was so excited. He has been waiting for this season to
start, since it’ll be his first time playing. He looked so cute in his
little uniform running up and down the field. It was like…”
She trailed off, her voice breaking. She cleared her
throat and continued:
“It was like watching a little angel play soccer. I also
got to see my daughter, Kaitlyn. She is such a little sweetheart
gradually faded away. They were replaced by the sound of conversing as
people separated into small groups with their neighbors.
Nineteen people showed up to the meeting in total, Richard
counted. Most wore cheap clothes, faded with wear, and a goodly portion
of them looked disheveled or exhausted.
Gradually the room quieted down and everyone turned their
attention to Jason. He stood up from his chair and cleared his throat:
“Anyone want to start us off?” he asked.
Richard glanced around. Most of the congregation looked
away. Many seemed nervous, carefully guarding their secrets.
Marlene, on the other hand, raised her hand. It shot up
into the air with barely contained excitement. She grinned and waved it around.
Jason pretended he didn’t see her.
“Kyle? Want to get us going tonight? No? How about you,
Eddie? You could tell us about that new job you got, maybe.”
Both young men looked away. From the look on Eddie’s face,
he probably didn’t have that new job anymore.
Marlene started making little sounds for attention now,
little ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ noises. She was practically jumping out of her chair.
Jason smiled slightly but kept pretending like he didn’t see her.
“Ben? You’ve been here for a few weeks now, but you haven’t
shared anything yet. Maybe you could start off with something simple.”
Ben was a tall young man, maybe in his late twenties, and
rail thin. He was wearing baggy clothes that were ripped in several spots and a
dark brown jacket with stains on the left side.
He probably hadn’t showered in days, maybe weeks, and it had
been even longer since those clothes were cleaned. Richard wasn’t sure,
but he thought he could smell Ben from across the room.
“Where you are from?” Jason continued prodding. “Maybe
you could tell us something about your family or friends? You don’t need
to tell us anything major, just something small.”
Ben was leaning forward in his chair, hands clasped between
his knees and head bowed. The entire group was silent, looking at him. He
glanced up when Jason spoke, and then looked down again.
“Is that a no?”
Ben didn’t respond. He glanced around the room at all the
people staring at him, stood up, and headed for the exit.
Everyone watched as he pushed the door open and disappeared
into the night. Jason let out a little sigh, shaking his head.
“Four weeks of not missing a night, but the kid hasn’t said
a word.”
“I can,” Angelina—the donut woman, Richard remembered—said,
raising her hand. Her pink dress looked crumpled up in the chair and her pale
legs were shiny in this light. “I can go first and say something. I’ll start us
off for the night, if you like.”
Jason smiled at her. “Sure Angelina. Thanks.”
He sat back down and she stood up. It was a laborious
process, the chair wobbling a little bit under her weight, but she
managed.
The pink dress stood out, matching her cheeks. She smiled
and brushed absently at some strands of hair on her cheek.
“Hi everyone. I’m Angelina, and I’m an alcoholic.”
“Hi Angelina,” the room echoed back.
“But I guess you all already knew that. I’ve been
coming here for six months now, and I’m still sober so it must be helping,” she
said. She paused, then shook her head. “No, I know it’s helping.
I’m glad you are all here.
“I’m thankful, because my life has gotten better since I
started this clinic. This weekend I went to my son’s soccer game. It’s his
first game and he was so excited. He has been waiting for this season to
start, since it’ll be his first time playing. He looked so cute in his
little uniform running up and down the field. It was like…”
She trailed off, her voice breaking. She cleared her
throat and continued:
“It was like watching a little angel play soccer. I also
got to see my daughter, Kaitlyn. She is such a little sweetheart
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